Trump Nominates Dr. Casey Means as Surgeon General

President Donald Trump has announced the nomination of Dr. Casey Means to become the new surgeon general, following the withdrawal of Dr. Janet Neshwat. Trump shared this decision in a statement on his social media platform.

Dr. Means, a graduate of Stanford University, has co-authored a book on metabolic health along with his brother Calley, who is an active supporter of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy (Maha) initiative. Means has also taken on the role of public spokesperson for the movement.

Trump praised Means, saying, “Casey embodies the ‘Maha’ vision. We’re collaborating closely with our exceptional Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to effectively tackle the chronic disease crisis and promote the health of all Americans.”

Means’ approach emphasizes the importance of nutrition in preventing chronic diseases and she has appeared on various platforms, including Joe Rogan Experience and podcasts hosted by Tucker Carlson.

She has expressed strong criticism towards medical institutions, including her own education at Stanford. Reflecting on her time there, she remarked, “The Stanford School of Medicine learned virtually nothing from the vast amount of research that reveals the underlying reasons for the decline in American health,” a statement she made in 2024.

Dr. Means completed her medical degree at Stanford in 2014 but left her residency at Oregon Health and Science University during her fifth year. She chose to focus on understanding the true causes behind the health issues facing Americans, as noted on her LinkedIn profile.

Dr. Neshwat, initially supported by Trump, was set to appear before the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee for confirmation. However, she faced scrutiny from Trump supporters due to previous comments regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, questioning vaccine effectiveness and praising Mark Zuckerberg for limiting discussion on mask mandates.

Her credentials have been called into question after author Anthony Clark contended that Neshwat misrepresented her medical school education. He claimed she stated she graduated from the University of the Caribbean when, in fact, she received her degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

Clark shared a screenshot of Neshwat’s LinkedIn profile, which indicated her degree was awarded by UAMS. Following public backlash, her profile was later updated to clarify that her medical degree was indeed obtained from an American university in the Caribbean.

There’s speculation that Dr. Neshwat might still be offered another position within the Trump administration.